Florida Forest officials talked about the challenges they face while fighting a brush fire in southwest Miami-Dade. NBC6’s Laura Rodriguez reports
Crews continued to battle a brush fire down south in Miami-Dade County Wednesday that shut down roadways and snarled traffic to and from the Florida Keys.
There are no reported injuries or threats to nearby structures. The fire has burned around 14,000 acres and was 20% contained.
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WATCH HEREU.S. 1 southbound was open then shut down again on Wednesday, before it was reopened in the afternoon. U.S. 1 northbound was closed intermittently, Monroe County officials said.
Card Sound Road was closed Tuesday and has not reopened.
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Meanwhile, a red flag fire warning was issued for Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. for a large area of South Florida and up to the Lake Okeechobee area.
It's expected there'll be gusty southwest winds, and any fires that develop could spread rapidly, the National Weather Service said.
Low RH values and breezy SW winds on Thursday will result in critical fire conditions. A Red Flag Warning has been issued for much of South FL tomorrow from 11 AM until 8 PM. #flwx pic.twitter.com/l0CaXbcPbd
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) March 19, 2025
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The fire is not contained to one specific area and there were several hot spots. By Wednesday afternoon, crews were having trouble controlling the flames lining U.S. 1.
"This is the driest and windiest part of the day so the fire apparently has jumped U.S. 1 just like it did yesterday. Maybe not quite as intensely, but nonetheless there is fire on both sides of U.S. 1 and we have several air assets on it trying to put it out," said Kevin MacEwen with the Florida Forest Service.
According to Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, fire units and air rescue responded after a call came in for the grass fire at 1:17 p.m. Tuesday near the 40800 block and Card Sound Road.
3/19 3:30AM - A wildfire in South Miami -Dade continues to burn early this morning leading to smoke over the roadways of US-1 and Card Sound Road.
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) March 19, 2025
US-1 is currently open but Card Sound Road remains closed at this time. pic.twitter.com/gPniRMW7l0
Officials at the time shut down both directions of Card Sound Road and U.S. 1 northbound and southbound to allow units to access additional water sources. Traffic on the 18-mile stretch started moving slowly on Tuesday night, but Monroe County Sheriff's officials advised motorists to avoid the area.
It took eight hours for U.S. 1 to reopen, but it was shut down again Wednesday.
Vehicle entry/exit to Florida Keys closed due brush fire https://t.co/EI2fGXZvGY pic.twitter.com/qmD64oYIlU
— Florida Keys Sheriff (@keyssheriff) March 18, 2025
Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said it is working with the Florida Forest Service to control the fire.
“It is dry enough for everything to burn, but wet enough that we can’t put our equipment there without sinking. So it’s very challenging," MacEwen said.
They also advised anyone with respiratory conditions to limit outside exposure, keep vehicle windows closed and run air conditioners to recirculate air.
Due to the fire, those in the area may experience hazy and smoky conditions. We remind anyone suffering from respiratory conditions to limit their exposure to smoke, especially if they are at increased risk for particle-related effects.⁰ ⁰Keep your vehicle windows closed and…
— Miami-Dade Fire Rescue (@MiamiDadeFire) March 18, 2025
People headed to the Keys said they were frustrated because they couldn’t make it home or to their hotels. Some told NBC6 they planned to wait it out.
“My wife is concerned about it but there is not a lot we can do at this point," said Stefon Ford, who lives in Key Largo. "We have the Holiday Inn right here, so, we have to do what we have to do. I’m a little concerned, I want to get home, I have a dog at home, and things that need attention."
A spokesperson for the Florida Forest Service said it is a very wet area, so it can be challenging to work since equipment gets stuck.
While March fires are not uncommon, April, May and June are the pinnacle months for wildfires in South Florida.
As for the cause, the Florida Forest Service said the fire likely started with an ATV or off-road vehicle and then the dry conditions and wind did not help.
